Preconditions of a real avant-garde

The hour of a new Greek generation has come, more mature than its predecessors and we may hope stronger, because it is a generation hardened, brought up in the atmosphere of war, of catastrophe and anarchy, that came into contact with deep emotions very early, that began very early to think about more burning issues, that realized very early from its first years that life is no easy matter. The great value of this generation is that it brings again to a defeated Greece the possibility for self-confidence and elevation, the hope for conquering life. We love our generation despite its defects, because it seems to be a generation of lively and daring people. If she decides to she will clean up the swamp surrounding us and will give the country the spiritual powers it lacks.

(Yorgos Theotokas, Elefthero Pnevma, second edition, 1929, Athens, Ermis, Nea Elliniki Vivliothiki, first reprint, 1979 (concluding paragraph)